Editor’s note: As school security measures have evolved to address increasing concerns, there is a growing opportunity to extend these advancements beyond the school building and onto school buses. With most existing bus security systems relying on outdated technology, the demand for real-time solutions has never been higher.
This article originally appeared in Security Sales & Integration.
Schools have significantly improved security within their buildings. Now they’re extending the safeguarding of students on their buses.
The increase in tragic school shootings and violence has driven demand for more comprehensive security solutions to protect students.
As integrators already know, schools have significantly improved security within their buildings, but what you may not yet realize is that now they’re extending the safeguarding of students to on their buses.
This gap presents a substantial and growing opportunity for you to consider for expanding your offering beyond the fixed school campus to include school buses.
The Need for Enhanced School Bus Security
Schools are realizing that most school bus camera systems (over 90 percent) only record locally on a hard drive without live monitoring capabilities. This limitation means incidents on buses are often reviewed after the fact, which can delay responses and resolutions.
However, new livestream camera technology over cellular networks has transformed this landscape, providing real-time monitoring capabilities that were previously unavailable.
When an incident occurs on a school bus, the ability to respond in real-time rather than merely recording it for later review can make a significant difference. If you were to install livestream cellular security cameras on school buses, you’d be offering schools this critical capability.
Despite the fact that the majority of the 480,000 school buses in the U.S. are equipped with surveillance cameras, most of the systems are outdated, requiring manual retrieval of footage. This process can take hours, leaving schools unable to address issues promptly.
As an integrator, and essential partner to schools, it’s important for you to stay current on this issue so that you can speak to, and fulfill, their needs as they look to enhance safety throughout the experience they provide to students and their families.
Here’s just one example of how the technology works: An incident involving a hit-and-run collision with a school bus within at the Liberty School District in Kansas City demonstrates the critical role of live camera systems.
Jeff Baird, the transportation director for the district, described the live cameras as “a lifesaver” that day. When the accident occurred, the bus driver promptly used the incident button and radio to notify the department.
The incident button not only bookmarked the video, allowing the team to quickly locate the footage, but also sent a direct link to the transportation department’s desktop school bus safety dashboard.
By clicking the link, the team was able to immediately assess that no students were injured. Additionally, the live footage provided a clear description of the vehicle involved in the hit-and-run, which was quickly shared with the police. The authorities were able to apprehend the driver shortly thereafter.
Baird emphasized, “We were only able to catch the driver and assess the condition of the students because of our live cellular video system. The greatest advantage of systems like this is the speed of response.”
Transformative Technologies for School Bus Safety
As an integrator, you’re seeing the evolution of equipment that’s modernized and system-oriented. When it comes to school bus technology and equipment, live video feeds are the primary method for a holistic system approach.
Not only do they allow for real-time monitoring for better decision-making, the technology allows for tracking buses en route, providing immediate support to drivers and managing student behavior in real-time. These systems go beyond traditional cameras, offering integrated tools that help schools manage their fleet and enhance student safety.
For example:
- Turn-by-Turn Directions: Digital systems provide drivers with turn-by-turn directions, eliminating the need for paper route prints.
- Real-Time Updates: Parents can receive updates on when and where their children board and disembark the bus.
- Student Safety: These technologies ensure students get on and off at the correct stops and prevent them from missing their stops or being left on the bus.
Impact on Student Behavior and Bus Safety
When you install the latest school bus cameras, their live stream cellular video technology will significantly improve student behavior. Real-time monitoring can quickly address issues like bullying, which has long-term effects on students’ academic and social development.
Additionally, reducing distractions for bus drivers, often caused by student behavior, directly enhances road safety, addressing a primary cause of school bus accidents. Beyond improving student behavior, these solutions can be lifesaving in emergencies.
For instance, some users have provided their local police department with access to their system, allowing first responders to assess and respond to situations on buses in real-time.
Comparing Legacy Systems with Modern Solutions
The opportunity to replace traditional analog systems that require manual retrieval of footage from school buses, a process that could take days and involved significant labor, with modern cameras is one that integrators should consider for expanding their businesses, and further enhancing the safety of young people.
Digital cellular video systems provide immediate access to both live and recorded footage, drastically reducing response times and improving operational efficiency. These modern digital live-streaming systems function much like traditional security camera setups, often monitored live on large screens.
While live-stream video from buses and mobile vehicles represents a significant advancement in security, it still requires human oversight to detect and respond to incidents in real-time.
However, these digital systems can be enhanced with artificial intelligence (AI) to automatically detect and flag behaviors such as bullying, vaping, and the presence of weapons, thus allowing for more effective monitoring without the need for constant human supervision.
When you install a live-stream camera, it essentially becomes a proactive observer, capable of identifying unwanted behavior and triggering an alert to the transportation department.
You’ll be enabling an automated process that not only provides more comprehensive coverage but also allows your customers to focus on responding to incidents as they occur, rather than spending time continuously monitoring for potential issues.
Broad Applications and Future Potential
The benefits of live stream digital video extend beyond immediate incident response. These systems can also act as security cameras when buses are not in use, alerting school officials to potential intruders. This dual functionality adds an extra layer of security, ensuring that buses are safe for students at all times.
Furthermore, the technology’s potential applications are vast. Any vehicle requiring real-time monitoring can benefit, suggesting a broader market opportunity beyond school buses, including public transportation and emergency vehicles.
Conclusion
Live stream cellular video technology offers a valuable addition to the security solutions provided by integrators to school campuses and positions you as a partner who is knowledgeable in the latest safety and security equipment and its potential to provided added value to your customers.
By partnering with technology leaders, you can expand your capabilities to include comprehensive safety solutions for school buses. This integration not only enhances student safety but also opens new avenues for business growth in the security sector.
